Chapter 66: Summer Break Trip (3)

“Oh, we’re here?”

Fortunately, they arrived on time today.

They had encountered a few mishaps along the way, almost falling victim to the instructor’s cunning traps, but they had managed to reach the meeting point.

“Good work. Nom nom.”

The instructor was munching on a roasted duck, lounging on a plush bed.

A surge of anger welled up inside them, but they chose to focus on their current success.

“Whew, I’m glad we made it on time.”

“This is a first! It feels strange.”

“Yay! Time to rest!”

“Instructor, Baek Ri-seol has succeeded!”

Cho Un-hwi grinned, watching his four students celebrate in their own unique ways.

‘They’re doing better than I expected.’

Surviving in the wilderness with nothing was no easy feat. Especially considering the devious traps he had set.

‘At least now they’re less likely to die a senseless death.’

They were making remarkable progress.

Well, they were talented individuals who would later be known as the Sword Demon of the Namgung Clan, the Last Bastion of the Jegal Clan, and the Crimson Witch of the Murim. This was the least they could do.

“Nom nom.”

Cho Un-hwi took another bite of duck leg and asked, “Not so bad, huh?”

“It’s tough! But Baek Ri-seol never gives up!”

Baek Ri-seol grinned, but Mo Yong So-hye pouted.

“Instructor, you seem to have forgotten that we come from good families.”

“Oh, bragging about your family now?”

“I’m not bragging. I’m just saying that we’re civilized people.”

“You look like you were born to live in the wild.”

Spoiled rich kids turned into wildlings.

That’s what they looked like.

“Ugh.”

Mo Yong So-hye tossed aside the crude wooden bow she was carrying and grimaced.

“Brother Jegal, do they really teach ‘How to Survive as a Caveman’ in Euncheon Hall?”

“Of course not.”

Jegal Tan shook his head.

“There’s a limit to how practical these lessons can be.”

He added that they only learned basic survival skills, like how to set up camp and find water.

It was absurd to expect pampered Euncheon Hall students to survive in the wilderness.

“Then why are we…?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? You need to know the basics if you want to be competent assistants.”

“At this rate, we’ll become actual cavemen.”

Jegal Tan, watching Mo Yong So-hye’s dejected expression, felt a surge of doubt.

“Instructor, is this really helpful for a martial artist’s survival?”

It wasn’t harmful knowledge, but it seemed excessive.

That was Jegal Tan’s assessment of the survival skills they had been learning.

Cho Un-hwi, however, had a different opinion.

“Yes, you’ll thank me later.”

“Really?”

“In a war, the lucky ones die from a sword wound to the chest. Most people die while running away or being hunted down.”

“I know that more people die from fleeing than from fighting in a war.”

That was why they were taught how to retreat safely in military strategy class.

“But we’re martial artists. Fights in the Murim are different from wars. No one attacks from behind unless they’re an assassin.”

Wars were about killing.

People resorted to any means necessary to win.

‘But fights in the Murim are different.’

Fights between experts were conducted with honor and dignity.

Even if they were enemies, they treated each other with respect and fought with grace.

It was common for the victor to spare the loser’s life and accept a monetary compensation, rather than holding a grudge.

They would never slaughter retreating soldiers as an example.

That was why the ‘How to Survive Like a Cockroach’ techniques they had been learning seemed so impractical.

“There’s no point in surviving like this if it means losing your dignity.”

It was a common saying among those who valued honor: it’s better to die with dignity than to live in disgrace.

“Do you really think so?”

“I can’t disgrace my sect by clinging to life.”

“There’s also a saying that it’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion.”

“What sets a prestigious sect apart is its honor. A sect that loses its dignity is no different from the Demonic Faction.”

“Well, let’s just agree to disagree for now.”

Cho Un-hwi chuckled and took another bite of duck leg.

They exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the strange atmosphere.

Then, Namgung Yun-ho asked, “Instructor, isn’t it time you told us?”

“Told you what?”

“Why we’re going to Mount Geomryeong.”

Why were they going to Mount Geomryeong?

‘Is it just a whim?’

Jegal Tan and Mo Yong So-hye exchanged puzzled glances.

Baek Ri-seol spoke up.

“Yes, I’m curious too.”

“Hehe, I didn’t expect my intentions to be so easily read…”

“Hehe, I’m an expert on your behavior, Instructor.”

“What’s an ‘expert on my behavior’?”

Cho Un-hwi, feeling exposed, tossed aside a duck bone and said, “It’s time I told you.”

***

The explanation was brief.

“…That’s why we’re here.”

But the four students were stunned.

“The Hidden Moon Flying Thief?”

“The expert who injured several people in Muhan City and escaped?”

The mysterious figure who had effortlessly broken through the combined attack of the senior Euncheon Hall instructors.

They had never imagined he would be relevant to their summer break trip.

“Yes, that’s him.”

“We’re going to…”

“His hideout.”

“Oh my.”

Jegal Tan and Mo Yong So-hye were speechless.

Cho Un-hwi, however, seemed unconcerned.

“Why? This is a great opportunity.”

He proceeded to explain his bizarre logic.

“He’s a famous thief, right?”

“So his hideout must be full of stolen goods.”

“And since it’s all stolen property, we don’t have to worry about returning it to its rightful owners.”

“Dude, it’s a gold mine!”

Mo Yong So-hye, frowning, summarized his plan.

“So… you want to rob a thief?”

“Yes, those thieving bastards. Why should they be the only ones who benefit?”

“You’re going to steal from a thief for your own personal gain…”

“‘Personal gain sounds a bit harsh. Let’s just say we’re sharing the wealth.”

Whatever.

Baek Ri-seol, sensing their growing unease, asked, “Instructor, do you think it’s possible? He’s the Hidden Moon Flying Thief! He defeated several senior instructors!”

“He’s not that tough. If he had met me when he was younger, he would have been crying for his mommy.”

“…”

This was bad.

He was beyond reason.

Even Namgung Yun-ho, who usually obeyed his instructor without question, looked troubled.

“Instructor, are you sure he’s not at his hideout?”

“I think so. I heard he was seriously injured while escaping from the Murim Alliance. He’s probably gone to get treatment.”

“What if we run into him? Can you handle him?”

“Why should I handle him?”

Cho Un-hwi looked at them as if they were crazy.

“You’re the young and strong ones. You handle him.”

“…”

They were all confused.

***

After their wilderness survival training, they headed for a small village at the foot of Mount Geomryeong.

Muam Village.

Next to the signpost at the entrance to the village, they saw something familiar.

“Looks like a bear passed by here.”

It was their missing weapons.

Jegal Tan picked up his sword and muttered, “Bears are getting bolder these days.”

“Right? Kids these days are different. I saw a bear stumbling home drunk last night.”

“He must have been eating roasted duck.”

“Yes, bears love roasted duck.”

They all fell silent, remembering the instructor’s ravenous appetite for duck and alcohol the previous night.

‘He’s not even trying to hide it anymore.’

‘He’s not hiding it at all.’

‘Who cares?’

‘…’

No one dared to say anything.

The most valuable lesson they had learned on this Murim Expedition was that sometimes, it was best to ignore the truth.

They gathered their weapons, and Cho Un-hwi shrugged.

“I think we’re ready.”

“So ‘Surviving in the Wilderness’ is over?” Baek Ri-seol asked.

Cho Un-hwi grinned.

“Yes, now it’s time for ‘Surviving in Demonic Territory.’”

***

Cho Un-hwi led the way, as if he had been here many times before.

The villagers stared at them curiously, intrigued by the arrival of strangers.

But not all the gazes were friendly.

Some of them were hostile.

“I sense hostility.”

“Sister, that scary-looking guy over there is licking his lips while staring at me.”

Mo Yong So-hye clung to Baek Ri-seol’s arm, trembling.

“Yun-ho, did you see that?”

“…I did. Someone just stabbed another person in broad daylight, and no one even batted an eye.”

(TLN: was tempted to change the villages name to london after this sentence)

“We need to be careful. This place is truly under the control of the Demonic Faction.”

“Hmm.”

So it was true.

This village was a demonic stronghold.

“I can’t believe a place like this exists so close to Muhan City.”

The Murim Alliance’s headquarters was located in Muhan City, so it was unusual for the Demonic Faction to have a strong presence in the surrounding area.

There were some who tried to establish a foothold in the shadows, but they were quickly eradicated by the city guards or the Murim Alliance’s security forces.

But this place was different.

They could hear the sounds of violence coming from behind the thin walls of the houses, even in broad daylight.

‘If it’s like this during the day…’

He could only imagine how lawless it would be at night.

It seemed like there were no righteous sects or even city guards to maintain order in this village.

‘The instructor was right when he said this was demonic territory.’

He was surprised and apprehensive.

But one person seemed completely unfazed.

“Why are you all so tense?”

It was the instructor.

“What? Is this your first time in a place like this?”

“It’s my first time in such a lawless place.”

“Well, I guess that’s understandable.”

They had all been raised in sheltered, wealthy families.

“Jegal Tan, you must be used to this.”

“I’ve heard stories about places like this, but I’ve never been to one before.”

“It’s unique, isn’t it?”

Unique?

They had only been in the village for less than an hour, and they had already witnessed three violent incidents.

Jegal Tan nodded, glancing at a group of men who were staring at them with hostile eyes.

“Why is there a place like this so close to Muhan City?”

“Good question.”

Cho Un-hwi answered Baek Ri-seol’s question.

“It’s not profitable.”

“Profitable?”

“This is a slash-and-burn village. Do you know what that means?”

Slash-and-burn.

It referred to a method of agriculture where forests were burned to clear land for farming. Slash-and-burn villages were communities of farmers who practiced this method.

“What about slash-and-burn villages?”

“How many people do you think are willing to go through the trouble of clearing a mountain to create farmland?”

That was true.

No one would choose to live a dangerous life in the mountains if they had access to fertile land.

“They’re too busy trying to survive to care about martial arts, and it’s hard to recruit disciples in a place like this, so there are no proper sects.”

“That makes sense, but…”

“Another reason is that this village appeared suddenly. The government probably still thinks this is just a barren mountain.”

“You mean they don’t know it’s been cleared?”

“Yes, slash-and-burn farmers don’t report their activities to the government. They just want to avoid paying taxes. That’s why this place is perfect for a hideout.”

It was new information.

How did the instructor know so much about this?

As they were looking at him with admiration, Cho Un-hwi clapped his hands.

“Here’s your first lesson. There’s something you need to figure out whenever you arrive in a place like this.”

He raised his index finger.

“What do you see over there?”

He was pointing to a well-built manor with a sign that read “Black Tiger Gang.”